A while back, my watch mentor consulted with me
about using a Cinelli TUTTO (Tutto) as a base bike
for a cyclocross race on fixed gear
(of course single-speed),
and asked what I thought about it.
↑Here's the thing
After purchase, the saddle and other parts have been changed out.
The rear wheel is a dual-sided setup with both fixed gear and freewheel,
and it came configured with a flat bar and V-brakes,
but we confirmed that it's possible to swap in
properly-proportioned brakes and convert it to drop bar configuration.
When I asked the distributor about stock,
it turned out they were already sold out,
so we sourced inventory from another shop
and are doing the modifications here,
but apparently if the distributor had stock
and we'd ordered through them,
we would have needed to sign a document
pledging "not to convert it into a no-brake fixie."
I had no intention of doing something that ridiculous anyway,
but I was impressed by how strict they are
about complying with traffic laws.
The original flat bar will be changed to a drop bar,
so I'll be removing it right away. It was a semi-riser bar
with the Cinelli logo on it.
Rather than something from a handlebar manufacturer like FSA
assembled on the complete bike,
it was an OEM product from KALLOY (Kalloy) or somewhere
that Cinelli branded themselves.
↑So it's over 600mm wide—is that really okay?
To be precise, if handlebar width exceeds 600mm,
it doesn't immediately mean "traffic law violation! No riding outside private property!"
It falls outside the legal definition of an "ordinary bicycle" under traffic law,
so sidewalk riding is prohibited and road riding becomes the rule
(just like with cars, it's OK to cross the sidewalk when entering
a parking lot from the road).
Also, even on public roads that aren't sidewalks,
if it falls outside the definition of an ordinary bicycle,
you must follow one-way signs,
so you can no longer use the "except ordinary bicycles" exemption
to ride the wrong way down a one-way street.
about using a Cinelli TUTTO (Tutto) as a base bike
for a cyclocross race on fixed gear
(of course single-speed),
and asked what I thought about it.
↑Here's the thing
After purchase, the saddle and other parts have been changed out.
The rear wheel is a dual-sided setup with both fixed gear and freewheel,
and it came configured with a flat bar and V-brakes,
but we confirmed that it's possible to swap in
properly-proportioned brakes and convert it to drop bar configuration.
When I asked the distributor about stock,
it turned out they were already sold out,
so we sourced inventory from another shop
and are doing the modifications here,
but apparently if the distributor had stock
and we'd ordered through them,
we would have needed to sign a document
pledging "not to convert it into a no-brake fixie."
I had no intention of doing something that ridiculous anyway,
but I was impressed by how strict they are
about complying with traffic laws.
The original flat bar will be changed to a drop bar,
so I'll be removing it right away. It was a semi-riser bar
with the Cinelli logo on it.
Rather than something from a handlebar manufacturer like FSA
assembled on the complete bike,
it was an OEM product from KALLOY (Kalloy) or somewhere
that Cinelli branded themselves.
↑So it's over 600mm wide—is that really okay?
To be precise, if handlebar width exceeds 600mm,
it doesn't immediately mean "traffic law violation! No riding outside private property!"
It falls outside the legal definition of an "ordinary bicycle" under traffic law,
so sidewalk riding is prohibited and road riding becomes the rule
(just like with cars, it's OK to cross the sidewalk when entering
a parking lot from the road).
Also, even on public roads that aren't sidewalks,
if it falls outside the definition of an ordinary bicycle,
you must follow one-way signs,
so you can no longer use the "except ordinary bicycles" exemption
to ride the wrong way down a one-way street.